Glass Sequencing Carts: Solving the IGU Pairing Bottleneck

The most expensive downtime on an Insulating Glass (IGU) line occurs at the press. If the outer lite arrives but the inner lite is delayed at the tempering furnace or broke during breakout, the entire line stops. This "mismatch" kills throughput. Glass sequencing carts act as the critical buffer between fabrication and assembly. By organizing lites in exact sequential order (Slot 1: Unit A Inner, Slot 2: Unit A Outer), operators can decouple the cutting schedule from the assembly schedule. This ensures that the IGU press is always fed with matched pairs, regardless of upstream interruptions. Talk With An Expert

The "Just-in-Time" Buffer Strategy

Directly feeding glass from a washer to the IGU line is risky. A single remake can halt production for 20 minutes while a replacement is cut and tempered. Implementing a sequencing cart strategy allows you to build a "safety stock" of matched pairs.

Our racks are engineered for this specific high-rotation environment. The "Green Rack" model shown above is built with reinforced Q235A steel channels to handle the combined weight of batch-tempered glass. It allows the tempering furnace to run at maximum efficiency (filling the bed) while the carts reorganize that glass into the specific sequence required by the IGU applicator.

Preventing Edge Shelling and Seal Failure

Quality control in IGU manufacturing starts at the edge. A microscopic chip or "shell" on the glass edge is a stress concentrator that can lead to thermal stress breaks or primary seal failure years after installation.

Standard metal storage racks are notorious for causing edge trauma. As shown in the detail below, our system utilizes a Full-Length PVC Conduit Sleeve on every divider rod.

The PVC sleeves provide a non-abrasive barrier that protects the glass edge from steel contact, significantly reducing future seal failures.

This sleeve does not just protect the Low-E coating; it cushions the vertical edge of the glass during the slide-in motion. By eliminating steel-to-glass contact, we drastically reduce the micro-fractures that compromise the structural integrity of the final insulated unit.

Visual Management for Triple Glazing

As energy codes drive demand for Triple IGUs, logistics become exponentially harder. You now need to coordinate three pieces of glass instead of two. Our sequencing carts are available with Tri-Color Labeling Systems on the base slots.

This simple visual aid helps operators group "Inner, Middle, Outer" lites in adjacent slots (e.g., 1-2-3), preventing the common error of sending a 4mm middle pane to a line setup for a 6mm outer pane.

Frequently Asked Questions